


When the Bough Breaks

by Idicted



Series: When the Wind Blows [1]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Angst, Emotionally Hurt Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Gen, Hostage Situations, Hurt Spock (Star Trek), Hurt!Spock, Hurt/Comfort, Protective!Spock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-24
Packaged: 2019-07-12 06:17:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15989390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Idicted/pseuds/Idicted
Summary: Spock and McCoy’s daughter Joanna are among a group of civilians taken hostage by a rebel faction on Starbase 10. While the Federation is negotiating the release of the hostages, McCoy is worried sick and Spock does everything in his power to protect Joanna. Will they both get out alive?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've made Joanna McCoy much younger than she probably is for this story because I feel the story would not work as well with an older Joanna.
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments!

Leonard McCoy was sitting alone at a table in the rec room, muttering obscenities into his coffee and glaring at anyone who dared come close to his table. All crewmembers knew not to approach the CMO when he was in a mood like this – all except two foolhardy men who were just now entering the rec room and making a beeline for the doctor.

 

“Morning, Bones,” James T. Kirk said cheerfully, sitting down opposite McCoy.

 

“Good morning, doctor,” Spock echoed the captain’s sentiment, taking the chair next to Kirk.

 

“Good morning, my ass,” the doctor grumbled, angrily stabbing his fork into his breakfast with more force than necessary.

 

Kirk looked at Spock who raised an eyebrow at the doctor’s greeting.

 

“What’s going on, Bones?” Kirk asked between mouthfuls of porridge.

 

“Don’t ask,” McCoy replied, still attacking the food on his plate without actually eating anything.

 

“There is a solution to most problems, doctor,” Spock remarked stirring his herbal tea. “Perhaps if you intimated to us the circumstances of your distress, we could attempt to find a solution.”

 

McCoy gave him a dark look. “How about a solution to a crazy ex-wife who ignores me most of the time but expects me to pick up he slack when she needs something?”

 

“Your statement is too vague, doctor,” Spock stated as Kirk grinned into his coffee. “In order to arrive at a possible solution, you will have to be more precise.”

 

McCoy sighed and drew a hand across his face. “Fine,” he snapped. “Look. Jocelyn’s decided she needs a holiday – alone. So she’s shipping Joanna off to some summer camp on Arilion IV for two weeks while she’s doing a cruise of the Relubian Moons. Anyway, the thing is, Jocelyn wants me to take Joanna to the glider that will take the kids to Arilion. It departs from Starbase 10 eight hours _after_ Jocelyn’s cruise ship, so she wants me to go all the way to the base just to spend a couple of hours with Jo. It’s not that I don’t want to see my daughter but if I take leave and go all the way to the Starbase, I’d like to spend more time with her. It’s just bad planning. You know how long it’s gonna take me to get there?”

 

“That depends on when exactly you will need to be at the Starbase and on where we will be when you have to depart,” Spock explained, taking a sip of his tea.

 

McCoy rolled his eyes. “I have to be there in 15 solar days.”

 

“The Enterprise will be in the Monara Sector at that time, which means you will require 4.572 solar days to travel to Starbase 10,” Spock responded.

 

McCoy goggled at the Vulcan. “How can you possibly know that, Spock? Do you have the routes of all ships and freighters in Federation space memorized?”

 

Kirk grinned at McCoy’s exasperation. “I’m sure Spock does have them memorized, Bones,” he winked at the Vulcan. “But I guess the reason why Spock knows is he’s going to Starbase 10 himself in… 10 days’ time, is it, Spock?”

 

Spock inclined his head. “Indeed, Jim. However, I have managed to secure transportation which will only require a travel time of 2.641 solar days.”

 

“What are _you_ doing at Starbase 10?” McCoy asked. “Don’t tell me you’re going on that Moon cruise as well.”

 

Spock raised an eyebrow. “Negative, doctor. I am attending a conference on quantum mechanics which will be held at the base. And I believe this may be the solution to your problem.”

 

“Oh, hell no,” McCoy raised his hands. “If you’re suggesting that I come with you to attend that boring conference just so that I’m downright miserable when I see my daughter, the answer is no, Spock.”

 

“I am well aware of your adversity to acquiring new knowledge outside your own field,” Spock teased. “The solution I propose, however, is that I may watch your daughter since I will already be at the base – with your and your ex-wife’s approval of course.”

 

McCoy gaped at Spock. “You… would watch… you’d watch Jo for me…?”

 

“Certainly, doctor. However, if you do not feel comfortable…”

 

“No, no, Spock, that’s not it! I guess there’s few people who I’d trust to look after her, but you’re definitely one of them.” McCoy blushed. “But you realize she’s a seven-year-old _human_ child, right? I didn’t think that kind of thing… watching a kid, I mean, I didn’t think it would be something you’d like to do…”

 

Spock gave the doctor the hint of a smile. “You may wish to discuss this with your ex-wife and with Joanna herself, doctor, however, my offer stands. Now if you’ll excuse me, I believe the captain and I are needed on the bridge.”

 

Kirk and Spock got up and as they turned to go Kirk grinned at McCoy. “Sounds like a problem solved to me, Bones.”

 

McCoy nodded slowly. “A Vulcan babysitter,” the doctor muttered. “I’ll be damned.”

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters to start us off, but I probably won't be able to update very fast this time, we'll see...

Fifteen solar days after the conversation in the rec room, at precisely 0900 hours, Spock entered the departures hall of Starbase 10. As agreed with Jocelyn McCoy, they would meet at bay four where Jocelyn’s cruise ship would depart at 0930 hours, however, as yet the McCoys were nowhere to be seen. Spock chose a spot by the side of the gate that would allow him to observe any newly-arriving passengers. He was certain that he would recognise the woman he had met via video link the week before and she would be likely to recognise him also, as he had opted to wear his Starfleet uniform, even though the conference, which he had attended in his capacity as the Enterprise’s science officer, was over.

 

Boarding was already in progress, but the chronometer ticked to 0910 and the women were still not there. At 0915, Spock began to feel the urge to pace but supressed it. Finally, at 0924, he saw a slim woman with brown curly hair and a small child with the same type of hair and piercing blue eyes hurry towards him.

 

“Mr Spock!” Jocelyn greeted him brightly. “So sorry we’re late and I’m afraid I must hurry.”

 

She bent down to her daughter giving her a hug and a kiss. “Be good, Jo-Jo! Have fun with the other kids on Arilion. I’ll be here to pick you up in two weeks.”

 

She turned to Spock. “Thank you so much for watching her, Mr Spock, a pleasure to meet you.”

 

And with that, she was off, blowing another kiss to Joanna as she slipped past the closing gates of her cruise ship. Joanna looked up to Spock and to his surprise extended her small hand in the traditional Vulcan salute.

 

“I’m Joanna,” she said, smiling up at him. “Daddy told me how to say hello to you - he can’t do it himself though.” Joanna giggled. “It’s nice to meet you.”

 

“It is nice to meet you, too, Joanna,” Spock said earnestly.

 

“Sorry we were late. Mum is always late,” the girl explained. “We won’t be late for my flight, will we?” she asked anxiously. “I really want to go to the summer camp. My friend Tina will be there, too.”

 

“We will not be late,” Spock reassured her. “We have precisely 7.84 hours until we must return here. How do you propose we spend this time?”

 

Joanna thought for a moment. “Can we go look at the arboretum?” she asked hopefully. “I really like flowers!”

 

“Certainly,” Spock responded, thinking that perhaps, this day was going to be easier than he had anticipated. Joanna McCoy appeared to be a surprisingly calm and very intelligent child.

 

They watched Jocelyn’s cruise ship depart, then Spock took Joanna’s suitcase and they went to drop it off before heading to the main hall of the base to take a lift up to the sixth floor where the arboretum was located.

 

As they walked across the main hall to the lifts, Spock suddenly became aware of a commotion behind them. He turned around in time to see around 50 masked individuals storming into the main hall of the base, weapons raised and exchanging fire with security personnel. Spock swiftly pulled Joanna down to the floor and threw himself over her, covering her body with his. Around them, other some people were doing the same, lying flat on their stomachs, covering their heads with their hands, while others were running away screaming frantically.

 

Those who did so never got very far. Lifting his head slightly, Spock could see that the masked people were now controlling all exits and were beginning to seal them off. Pointing weapons at panicked people, they were forcing everyone down to the floor as the bodies of security personnel and some injured civilians were dragged to the sides – _alive or dead?_ Spock wondered.

 

Beneath him, Joanna was struggling to get a look at what was going on but was neither crying nor screaming. “Stay down,” Spock instructed her as the sound of weapons being fired slowly died. Spock now regretted not taking his phaser with him, but it simply was not standard equipment either for attending a conference, nor for watching a friend’s child.

 

The thought of McCoy gave him a sudden pang. He had promised to look after Joanna and now they were clearly in a dangerous and unpredictable situation. Spock would do anything in his power to keep the child safe, but he wondered whether whatever he could do would be enough.

 

One of the masked people had moved into the centre of the hall and was now firing a few shots into the air, eliciting more screams and cries from the people crouched on the floor.

 

“SILENCE,” a deep voice boomed and the screams died down to whimpers. “In case you were wondering,” the masked man continued, shouting into the room, “you are now hostages. You will do as we say or face the consequences. If you’re carrying a weapon of any sort, you will surrender that weapon now. Slide it across the floor away from you. We will search all of you later. If we find a weapon on you, we will execute you immediately.”

 

There was a brief moment of silence, followed by the sound of a few objects sliding across the floor.

 

“Good,” the man commented as other masked figures went around the room picking up the surrendered weapons. “Now, you will sit up were you are lying and you will remain there at all times. You will be allowed to get up to use the bathroom once per day and only ever one person at a time. We will give you water and food also once per day. You will be quiet and comply with our instructions and no one needs to die.”

 

Spock sat up slowly, looking around. He estimated that there were around 200 people trapped in the room with them. Next to him, Joanna also sat up, her eyes wide with fear, her face pale. Spock had often heard humans tell children to “not be afraid” in dangerous situations. He did not think telling Joanna this would help. Instead, he extended his hand and Joanna grabbed it and held tight. “I will not allow them to harm you,” he promised her quietly. She looked up at him and nodded, squeezing his hand more tightly.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is going more quickly then I thought, yay! Expect another chapter tomorrow!

 

The Monara sector, Kirk thought, was utterly boring. The Enterprise was charting star systems and Spock was missing all the fun. Kirk chuckled. He was eager for Spock to be back aboard (four more days and they would rendezvous with a freighter to pick him up) and just as eager for a real mission. Some action would be nice.

 

“Captain,” Uhura interrupted his thoughts. “I’m picking up a transmission… it’s not on an authorized frequency… it’s a video message, sir.”

 

“On screen,” Kirk almost yawned.

 

On the screen the image of a masked individual swam into view. He – for Kirk supposed it was a man – was holding a phaser rifle.

 

“This is a message to the Federation,” the figure began to speak in a deep voice, confirming Kirk’s hunch. “We are CURA. We are currently holding 217 civilians hostage on Starbase 10.”

 

 _Starbase 10?_ Kirk was suddenly wide awake.

 

“In exchange for their lives, we demand that the Federation ceases all ties with the planet Andor and its people. You have 24 hours to begin to show that all trade and diplomatic relations between Andor and other Federation worlds have been terminated. If you do not comply, we will kill 20 hostages each hour that passes after the deadline. We have citizens of all Federation worlds under our power –” as it to prove his words the camera moved away from the man and captured people sitting unevenly distributed on the floor of a large hall – “and we are not afraid to use force.”

 

With that the transmission was cut off abruptly, leaving the bridge crew stunned. Kirk was still staring at the now blank screen but pulled himself together and began giving orders.

 

“Mr Sulu, plot a course to Starbase 10. Uhura, contact Starfleet Command and request instructions. ETA to base, Mr Sulu?”

 

“22 hours, 28 minutes at maximum warp, captain.”

 

Kirk nodded. “Mr Chekov, replay the message from the point where they show the hostages.”

 

The bridge crew all stared intently at the footage of people crouching on the floor.

 

“Hold!” Kirk commanded. “Zoom in on the people on the right.”

 

Kirk swore under his breath. He had seen correctly: a man in a science blue shirt with pointed ears and a girl with curly brown hair huddled close to him.

 

“Maximum warp, Mr Sulu. And you have the conn. I’ll be in sickbay.”

 

Hadn’t he just wished for some action? Kirk thought nervously as entered the turbo lift on his way to sickbay. _Be careful what you wish for_. None of this was what he’d had in mind, especially not having to tell McCoy that his seven-year-old daughter was being held hostage by a rebel faction. Kirk was trying to remember all the details he had read on CURA in the last Starfleet briefing, but doubted McCoy would care about the particulars. _Cespian Underground against Relations with Andor_. Cespia was not a member of the Federation. They had been trying to join for years but negotiations had never led anywhere, among other things because of their strange dislike of Andorians. Andor was Cespia’s closest inhabited planet but there was no trade, tourism, nor any other relations between the two worlds. CURA had been reported to resent Andor’s Federation membership but the briefing had failed to mention that they apparently were prepared to use force to end it.

 

Kirk had reached the doors leading to sickbay. He took a deep breath and entered. McCoy was busy regenerating skin on a Lieutenant’s arm and briefly looked up as Kirk came in.

 

“Jim!” he greeted Kirk happily. “What brings you down here? Bored out of your mind up there, are you?”

 

“Bones,” Kirk swallowed. “I need to talk to you in your office.”

 

McCoy frowned at Kirk’s tone of voice. “Sure, Jim. Just let me finish up here.”

 

“Chapel can finish that,” Kirk decided. “Come with me, please.”

 

***

 

“I said be QUIET!” one of their captors was screaming at a wailing infant somewhere across the hall. These people are volatile and dangerous, Spock realized, listening to the whimpering apologies of the child’s mother. The masked man in front of her was about to hit her when another Cespian dragged him away by the arm; they began a heated discussion by one of the doors at the far end of the hall, too far away for Spock to hear them.

 

He turned his attention back to Joanna. The girl had been sitting quietly for the first hour of their captivity, but then curiosity had gotten the better of her and she had begun to whisper all kinds of questions. Who were these people? Why the masks? Why were they filming the hostages? Why don’t they like Andorians? What will happen if the Federation doesn’t do what they want them to?

 

Just now, a Cespian had distributed food and water – a ridiculously small amount at three nutrition cubes and one cup of water per person. Joanna had already finished her portion, but Spock had not touched his.

 

“Please eat these cubes as well,” Spock told the girl, pushing his ration towards her. “As for the water, I suggest you keep it until later as we will not receive any more for the day.”

 

Joanna looked at him in surprise. “But what will you eat?”

 

“As a Vulcan,” Spock explained, “I require less food and water than humans do. I insist you eat this.”

 

Joanna complied and began to nibble at another cube. Spock thought about their captors’ strategy and concluded that the small portions of food and water were designed to keep them alive, but barely. _They wish to weaken the hostages_ , he realized. _Perhaps they are anticipating that this will take longer than the 24 hours they have given in their ultimatum_.

 

***

 

Somewhere at the back of his head, Leonard McCoy understood that he needed no slow his breathing if he didn’t want to pass out. His vision was already swimming, ears ringing and his stomach cramping up. “Show me,” he managed between panicked breaths. Jim Kirk was looking at him helplessly, guilt on his face for having been the bearer of bad news with no real words of comfort to mitigate their impact.

 

“Show me the tape,” McCoy repeated. “You said you saw Jo….” His voice broke at his daughter’s name. “I need to see for myself. I need to see.” McCoy’s face was pleading.

 

Kirk swallowed hard but he went over to McCoy’s computer terminal and opened the video message. Just like Chekov had done earlier on the bridge, he fast-forwarded and then zoomed in on Spock and Joanna. The freeze frame showed them both looking unharmed if, in Joanna’s case, a little scared. When McCoy saw the picture, he sat down heavily in the chair in front of the computer screen, burying his head in his hands.

 

“Why didn’t I go to the base, Jim?” McCoy asked desperately, lifting his head, his eyes bloodshot. “I should be there with her. She must be so scared. Why didn’t I go?”

 

“Spock is with her,” Kirk said, trying to comfort his friend. “And we’re on our way to the base.”

 

“And what will we do when we get there? Shoot them out?” McCoy exploded. “My daughter’s life depends on the goodwill of some crazy terrorists.” He sobbed, but pulled himself together. “I need to tell Jocelyn,” McCoy mumbled, dragging his hands over his face. “God, please God, let Jo be ok. I need her to be ok.”

 

Kirk watched as his friend left for his quarters. He was also worried about Joanna, but if he was honest with himself, he was even more worried about Spock. He was certain that the Vulcan would do anything to protect the girl. And that scared Kirk more than anything.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

The crying had started without warning. One moment, Joanna had been sitting quietly beside Spock, the next she was sobbing uncontrollably – and loudly. Before Spock could attempt to console her, a large Cespian had stomped over to them.

 

“Shut up,” he roared. “SHUT UP or I will make you.” When Joanna cried only harder, the man raised his hand to strike her, but Spock swiftly jumped to his feet and between them.

 

“No,” he said catching the Cespian’s hand in mid-air. The man growled dangerously, twisting his hand free of Spock’s grasp. Cespians were one of the few species stronger than Vulcans and he freed himself with an ease that made Spock uncomfortably aware how hard it would be to defend Joanna should this man really want to harm her.

 

He realized with relief, however, that his actions had accomplished what he had hoped for, namely drawing the man’s attention away from Joanna and towards himself.

 

“You _dare_ touch me?” the Cespian hissed angrily. He raised his phaser rifle and clubbed Spock over the head with it, hard. The Vulcan fell to the floor and felt a gash open near his temple, blood flowing down the side of his face and onto his uniform shirt.

 

“I could kill you and that little brat instantly.”

 

Spock didn’t doubt it. His head was pounding and his vision swimming but he sat up immediately, hoping it was not too late to diffuse the situation.

 

“I meant no offence,” he attempted to sound calm, “but I cannot allow you to harm this girl.” Next to him, Joanna had stopped crying and was staring at the blood on his face with a mixture of horror and fascination.

 

“ _You_ cannot allow _me_?” the Cespian laughed. “It is _I_ who allows _you_ to stay alive.  As for the girl… I will leave her alone if you can pass a little test of mine. I’ve always wanted to try it on a Vulcan. You’re famed for your control.”

 

Spock raised an eyebrow. “What do you propose?”

 

“Simple, Vulcan. I will… squeeze your arm a little bit and if you take it silently, I will go away and not touch the girl. Deal?”

 

Spock inclined his head. “This is acceptable,” he stated, though he had a suspicion that this would not be as harmless as it sounded. To Joanna he said: “Please close your eyes and cover your ears and stay this way until I tap your shoulder.”

 

The girl gave him a questioning look but complied.

 

“Take off your shirt,” the Cespian instructed. “I want to be able to see what I’m doing.”

 

Spock took off his blue tunic, shivering slightly in his black undershirt. The Cespians had reduced the temperature in the hall, likely in an attempt to further weaken their captives.

 

The Cespian in front of Spock now firmly grabbed the Vulcan’s right forearm with two large hands, raising it up so that it pointed away from Spock who was still sitting on the floor while the Cespian was standing. He then slowly and gleefully began to squeeze with brute force. The man’s hands felt like an iron chain and Spock did his best to shield himself from the pain. For Joanna’s sake he did not utter a sound, even as the bones in his arm snapped and the Cespian still continued to squeeze. When he finally released him, Spock’s arm was mottled with dark green bruises and he was certain that he had sustained comminuted fractures in his radius and ulna.

 

However, his tormentor was apparently not finished as he now grabbed Spock’s upper arm and proceeded to repeat the torture. This bone was thicker and it took more force to splinter it, which it eventually did with a sickening churning sound. Spock’s face was pale and sweaty but he had borne everything stoically, clearly to the Cespian’s disappointment. The man let go of Spock’s arm which uselessly flopped down, slamming painfully against his torso.

 

Without a word, the Cespian turned around and strolled away. Spock took a few deep breaths to compose himself, blocking out the pain as best he could. He tried moving the fingers in his right hand but to no avail. This was not surprising, he thought, as the Cespian had likely not only shattered his bones, but also inflicted nerve, muscle and ligament damage. His right arm was bruised and swollen, its lower part bent at an unnatural angle. Spock shifted his body so that his mangled arm was hidden from view. He tapped Joanna on the shoulder with his left hand and the girl uncovered her ears and opened her eyes.

 

“Is he gone?” she asked anxiously.

 

“Yes,” Spock answered. “And I believe he will not return.”

 

“How did you make him go away?” the girls asked, clearly impressed.

 

“I… won at a game he wanted to play,” Spock explained.

 

“A game?” Joanna seemed excited. “Can we play it?”

 

“It was not the type of game you would enjoy…” Spock gritted his teeth as a new wave of pain came over him. “But we can play another game if you like.”

 

Joanna thought for a moment. “How about ‘I spy’?”

 

Spock raised an eyebrow. “Can you explain the rules of that game?”

 

Joanna nodded eagerly. “I say I spy with my little eye something… for example green. And then you have to find that green thing. Then it’s your turn and I have to guess.”

 

Spock inclined his head. “I see, please proceed.”

 

Joanna smiled. “I spy with my little eye something… blue.”

 

“The wall at the opposite end of the hall,” Spock suggested.

 

“Nope!” Joanna grinned.

 

“The shoes of the lady to our right.”

 

“Nope!”

 

…

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

McCoy was frantic. Over the day, he had tried to reach Jocelyn 64 times but it seemed that she had either accidentally or deliberately left her communicator at home. He had also tried via the cruise ship company, but they were slow to respond and so he was pacing in his quarters, scared out of his mind and utterly alone. Well, that last part was not quite true, he thought. Jim was there. He had been there consistently ever since all of this started, but he was not a father. He could not possibly understand how this felt. Ultimately, McCoy thought guiltily, his desperate need to speak to Jocelyn was a completely selfish desire. He needed someone to understand how he felt even if it would mean causing her the exact same pain he was feeling. _It would be kinder not to tell her_ , he mused, _but then again, if something happened to Jo and she knew and I didn’t, of course I would want her to tell me_.

 

McCoy looked over at Kirk who was watching him with a mixture of concern and pity. They were still ten hours away from the base and McCoy could read in his friend’s face that he was feeling just as useless and inadequate as McCoy himself.

 

“Thanks for being here, Jim” McCoy mumbled. Kirk only nodded. It was the least he could do. The only thing, actually. Starfleet orders were to proceed to the base but not to interfere. Getting the hostages out would be the work of diplomats. Kirk sighed. He sure hoped these diplomats were more skilled than those he had encountered during previous missions.

 

There was, however, one more thing he _could_ do for his friend. As McCoy turned away from him once more in his pacing, Kirk got up and swiftly emptied a hypo spray, which he had earlier obtained from Chapel, into his friend’s shoulder.

 

McCoy spun around. “Jim, what in the name of… but the doctor’s eyes were already drifting shut.

 

“You need to sleep, Bones,” Kirk said as he caught his friend’s now limp body in his arms and gently lowered him onto the bed. “And I should, too…”

 

 

***

 

It was 2200 hours. Spock knew this without consulting a chronometer even though his head still hurt and his arm was throbbing painfully. It was probably high time for a seven-year-old human to sleep but Joanna was still sitting up, talking to him animatedly, though in a hushed voice, about her friend Tina. Spock had decided it would be a good idea to distract the girl as much as possible but now wondered how he would get her to sleep.

 

“Joanna,” he interrupted her. “Would you like to sleep? You may place your head in my lap if you require a pillow.”

 

Joanna cocked her head. “It’s too cold to sleep,” she said decisively. And there’s too much light.”

 

It was true. The light were kept on at all times.

 

“I suggest,” Spock said, “you put on my uniform shirt. It will keep you warm and the sleeves should be long enough to place over your eyes so that the light does not disturb you.

 

“Don’t you want to put it back on?” Joanna asked.

 

Spock was still sitting in a manner that kept the child from seeing what the Cespian had done to his arm, so she could not know that even if he wanted to, he would be unable to put the shirt back on.

 

“I would prefer that you wear it,” he stated. “I apologize for the blood on it.”

 

“Is your head ok?” Joanna asked with some concern as she wriggled into the shirt. It looked like a dress on her.

 

“I am functioning adequately,” Spock said as Joanna put her head on his left leg. He covered her eyes with the uniform’s sleeves.

 

“Are you feeling warmer?” he asked her.

 

“Yes, thanks,” Joanna mumbled, grabbing Spock’s hand again for reassurance in the new-found darkness surrounding her. After a while, however, the girl sat up again.

 

“Spock?” Joanna whispered. “I can’t sleep.”

 

Spock looked down at the girl’s face, her eyes were wide and pleading.

 

“Can you identify the reason why you are unable to sleep?” he whispered back.

 

“I’m scared,” she mumbled, biting her lip in a gesture that reminded Spock of McCoy.

 

“And what do you usually do when you’re scared?” he probed, somewhat at a loss as to how to deal with this human child’s emotions.

 

“Well,…” Joanna thought for a bit. “Sometimes when I have a really bad nightmare, my mum sings me a song. I’m actually too old for the song but I like it so much. Can you sing it for me?” she looked at him expectantly.

 

“Since I do not know which song your mother sings,” Spock explained patiently, “I will not be able to sing it.”

 

“Oh, it’s not difficult,” Joanna piped up. “I can teach you!”

 

Spock looked around for the guards, then whispered: “You may, however, remember we must still whisper.”

 

Joanna nodded happily, then began to sing in a low, but clear and beautiful voice.

 

“Rock-a-bye, baby,

In the tree top.

When the wind blows,

The cradle will rock.

When the bough breaks,

The cradle will fall,

And down will come baby,

Cradle and all.”

 

She looked at Spock expectantly. “Now you!”

 

Spock allowed a small smile to grace his lips.

 

“I do know the song,” he stated. “I remember my own mother singing it, however, she changed the last two lines.”

 

After glancing around for the guards one more time for good measure, he began quietly:

 

“Rock-a-bye, baby,

In the tree top.

When the wind blows,

The cradle will rock.

When the bough breaks,

The cradle will fall,

And I will catch it,

Baby and all.”

 

Joanna was beaming at him. “I like yours better,” she stated. “Again, please!” And she placed her head back into his lap, closing her eyes.

 

Spock repeated the song, just as quietly as before and almost immediately, the girl’s breathing evened out, sleep finally claiming her.

 

 _Fascinating_ , the Vulcan thought, as he also closed his eyes to meditate for the night.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

Spock opened his eyes because he could feel someone standing next to him. He had been unable to achieve a deep state of meditation because of the pain and the cold. He looked up at a Cespian how was eying his arm and his bloodied head.

 

“What happened to you?” the Cespian asked, pointing at Spock’s injuries. Spock recognized the voice as that of the man who the day before had prevented one of the other Cespians from harming the woman and screaming infant. Now that he thought about it, Spock realized that the man who had almost hit that woman was the same one who had injured him.

 

Spock looked down at Joanna who was still asleep next to him.

 

“I had an… encounter with one of your people.”

 

The man in front of him crossed his arms and sighed in exasperation. “I’ll be back,” he promised and set off towards the back of the hall.

 

Shortly afterwards, he returned with Spock’s tormentor and the man who seemed to be in charge of the others – the one who had made the announcements and the video recording.

 

“Is that your work, Tengor?” the first man asked, pointing at Spock. “What do you say to that, Rellnor?”

 

The man who had been addressed as Rellnor scrutinized Spock then turned to the one named Tengor.

 

“How many times have I told you,” he hissed, “that we need to keep the hostages in a presentable condition? If the Federation get wind of something like this,” he pointed at Spock’s arm, “they will stop negotiating and try to free the hostages by force. We’re doing this for a cause, not for our own pleasure, is that clear?”

 

Tengor lifted his chin defiantly. “How would the Federation ever come to know about this?” he challenged Rellnor.

 

Rellnor stepped closer to him, lowering his voice so that a human would not have been able to understand what he was saying, Spock, however, could hear him perfectly.

 

“There are five Federation diplomats outside, two starships are on their way. They are doing exactly what we wanted – taking this seriously – and so should you. We have already agreed to extend the first deadline we gave them, which included promising that we will not harm any of the hostages as long as the Federation are showing that they are preparing to cut ties with goddam Andor. I don’t care how they might find out about this, but if they do, we have a problem, you understand?”

 

Tengor crossed his arms. “I still don’t see the problem. He’s just one of 217.”

 

Rellnor threw up his arms in exasperation. “ _Every_ hostage is important. You don’t know who he is. If we’re required to release some of them as a gesture of goodwill and they ask for _him_ , how will it look if he’s in that kind of state?”

 

“It will show them we mean business,” Tengor spat. “You and your concessions and negotiations. Extend the deadline, don’t harm the hostages. They won’t take us seriously anymore. At least I’m prepared to do what must be done.”

 

“I am in charge here,” Tellnor said dangerously, “and we will do this the way I say, clear? So no more beating up hostages!” And with that the three Cespians walked away from Spock and Joanna, leaving the Vulcan to ponder what he had just heard.

 

***

 

The Enterprise arrived at Starbase 10 one hour and thirty minutes before the original deadline, which, Kirk had ben told, had been extended by another 24 hours. So, no deaths today, which was good. McCoy, however, who had woken up from his tranquilizer-induced sleep an hour ago, was not clamed by this news and neither was Kirk if he was being honest.

 

Still unable to reach Jocelyn, McCoy was now out of his mind with concern and grief. Kirk had signed him off duty and the doctor had retreated to his quarters where he sat staring at a photograph of his daughter, utterly defeated, silent tears rolling down his cheeks.

 

Kirk had sat with him for a while, but now that they were at the base, he was needed on the bridge from where he received regular updates from Commodore Stocker who was in charge of the negotiations down at the base.

 

The negotiations were going well so far, however, Stocker had a military unit standing by, _just in case_. This was a piece of information Kirk decided not to share with McCoy. The doctor did not need to imagine a shootout between the rebels and Federation troops with his daughter caught in the middle. Kirk sighed. He just wished he had some more good news for McCoy.

 

***

 

Spock was quizzing Joanna on interstellar geography – her favourite subject at school – when Rellnor himself passed by to deliver their daily ration of food and water.

 

“Rellnor,” Spock decided to take the opportunity to speak to him. “I am Spock, First Officer aboard the Starship Enterprise.”

 

As expected, that caught Rellnor’s attention.

 

“I have noticed,” Spock continued, “that the deadline you gave the Federation has passed without…” – he looked at Joanna – “without any consequences. Therefore, I assume, you have entered into negotiations. I am well versed in Federation negotiation tactics and could offer you some advice.”

 

Rellnor eyed him suspiciously. “Why would you want to help us?” he asked.

 

“I admit,” Spock said, “that my motives are entirely self-serving. What I would like to suggest you do is something I desire, however, I believe, it will also help your cause.”

 

Rellnor set down the tray with water and nutrition cubes. “What do you suggest?”

 

Spock took a deep breath. He would have to ‘sell this’ as his human friends would most likely put it.

 

“You have a diverse group of hostages here,” Spock began. “Some are more vulnerable than others and are therefore both more difficult for you to handle and their safety of great interest to the Federation. I propose that as a gesture of goodwill you release those hostages who were wounded when you first began your…operation, as well as children and their parents.”

 

Spock held his breath, waiting for Rellnor’s reaction.

 

The Cespian laughed. “So, basically, you want to leave, is that it? You’re both injured and you have a child, so you qualify twice.”

 

Spock shook his head. “I was neither injured in the original hostage-taking, nor is this my child, as should be fairly obvious. However, I desire her freedom and safety and believe my idea could benefit you. You should consider it.”

 

Rellnor picked up the tray again and began to move to the next group of hostages.

 

“I might,” the Cespian said as he moved away. Spock turned his attention back to Joanna, pushing his food ration over to her. He hoped that she would not have to bear all of this much longer.

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

Kirk had been running to McCoy’s quarters and was still panting when he delivered the news they had not dared hope for. It was the third day of the hostage crisis and the Cespians had volunteered to release some hostages: those with life-threatening injuries, as well as all children and the parents of children less than six years old.

 

When McCoy heard this, he fell to his knees and sobbed uncontrollably. He knew he should feel some relief but understood he would only truly feel it once Joanna was safe and sound with him again.

 

In his agitation he almost missed the next piece of information from Kirk. The hostages would be released in one hour and he and the captain, as well as a medical team, would beam down to the base to receive them. Shakily, McCoy got to his feet and pulled himself together. He washed his face, put on a fresh uniform shirt and they were on their way. _Hold it together_ , he told himself. After all, he did not want Joanna to be scared of _him_ once she escaped her ordeal on Starbase 10.

 

***

 

“BRING YOUR CHILDREN TO EXIT A2” Rellnor was shouting into the hall. The injured people had already been placed near that exit and a number of Cespians were busy preparing to carry them outside the hall once the doors would open. Other rebels had positioned themselves near the exit, weapons pointed in case the Federation forces were planning to storm the hall. Joanna was holding tightly onto Spock’s hand as they walked towards the exit.

 

“Why can’t you come with me?” she asked, eyeing the other children, some of whom would be allowed to leave with their parents and some who would not.

 

“I don’t want to go by myself, I’m scared,” she added.

 

Spock stopped and squatted down beside Joanna, ever conscious of not letting her glimpse his marred arm.

 

“It is natural for you to be afraid. However, think not of the fear, think of what awaits you on the other side of the door. I am certain your father will be there to greet you.”

 

Joanna’s eyes widened. “Daddy is here?” she was craning her neck as if she could spot him through the closed door.

 

Spock nodded. “I believe he is.”

 

“And I’ll see you later, right?” Joanna looked at the Vulcan with a big smile.

 

Spock hesitated for a moment, but chose to ignore the question. “May your journey be free of incident,” he said instead, gently pushing Joanna towards the small group that would be allowed to depart in a minute.

 

The girl joined the line of children and adults and at precisely 1000 hours the door was opened just wide enough for them to exit. First, the injured were carried outside where they were quickly and efficiently received by medical personnel from the Enterprise and the Hera. Then, the children and parents began to move. Joanna looked back at Spock and waved.

 

On the other side of the door, a nervous Leonard McCoy was straining to see the children coming out of the hall. He had left M’Benga to organise the care of the injured hostages and was wringing his shaky hands as one child after another emerged who did not have the blue eyes and curly hair he so desperately wanted to see. When Joanna finally stepped out of the door, McCoy felt his stomach drop. He sprinted forward and caught her in a tight embrace, barely holding back tears.

 

“Hello, daddy!” Joanna returned the hug with enthusiasm.

 

Ever the doctor, McCoy grabbed his daughter by the shoulders and held her so he could assess her condition. Considering what he had been through, Joanna looked surprisingly happy and healthy but McCoy nevertheless intended to give her a full physical and to have the ship’s psychologist, Dr Jones, assess her.

 

Close by, James T. Kirk was looking on as Leonard and Joanna McCoy were finally reunited. He shared in his friend’s happiness, but at the same time he wished Spock would also have been allowed to go. _The wait continues_ , he thought gloomily as they prepared to beam up to the ship.

 

***

 

Having watched Joanna exit the hall of the base, Spock turned around, intending to return to his previous place on the floor, when he came face to face with Tengor. In spite of the ever-present mask, Spock recognized the Cespian from his posture  - he was bent forward aggressively, cracking his knuckles.

 

“Stop right there, Vulcan,” Tengor hissed. “I hear you had a little conversation with Rellnor and put this stupid stunt into his head. I tried talking him out of it, but he wouldn’t listen. What have you done to gain this power over him?”

 

Spock raised an eyebrow. “I assure you, if I had any power over your leader, I would end this unfortunate situation immediately.” He knew he should not antagonize Tengor but he could not help himself. “Has it occurred to you,” he continued innocently, “that Rellnor’s actions may be less motivated by wanting to please me and more by wanting to displease you?”

 

Tengor huffed angrily. “I don’t like your attitude, Vulcan. And I don’t like you meddling. I think I had better enforce some discipline.”

 

He grabbed Spock’s injured arm and twisted it. This time, Spock could not help but utter a strangled cry – the pain was just too much. Tengor then stepped hard on Spock’s right foot with his left and, holding him up by the shoulders, used his free foot to deliver a vicious kick to Spock’s right leg. Spock felt his tibia and fibula shatter – a testament to the Cespian’s strength, considering Vulcan bone density – and as Tengor let go, Spock fell down on his injured right side, a new explosion of pain robbing him of his senses.

 

When he opened his eyes again, he could hear a heated discussion going on nearby. It seemed he was the subject of conversation, for he could hear words such as ‘Vulcan’ and ‘Enterprise’, but also ‘traitor’ and  ‘mutiny’. Painfully, he managed to roll over onto his left side and then just lay on the cold floor, shaking and breathing heavily, his vision dimming, excruciating pain burning down his arm and his broken leg.

 

The fact that he had gone three days without food or water, as well as the cold exacerbated his weakness. Nevertheless, he felt strangely content. Joanna was safe, whatever happened now, he would be able to accept. _Kaiidth_.

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

Early the next morning, Tengor’s voice rang out loudly into the silence of the still sleeping hostages. Like the nights before, Spock had neither been able to mediate nor to sleep, so unlike some other hostages, he was awake when the large Cespian strode to the centre of the hall.

 

“Hostages!” Tengor began. “If the Federation does not deliver results in the next two hours, the first 20 of you will be executed.”

 

Scared whispers rose among the hostages at the sudden turn of events, meanwhile another figure stepped into the centre of the hall.

 

“Tengor!” Rellnor was clearly angry too. “You are not in charge here, I am. This is mutiny and I will not tolerate it.”

 

“Really?” Tengor asked. “Then let’s see who is with you – and who is with me!”

 

As if on cue, around twenty Cespians gathered behind Tengor, pointing their weapons at Rellnor. Another 15 Cespians, in turn, gathered behind Tellnor, pointing their weapons at their former companions. The remaining Cespians seemed unsure which side to join, and the hostages who suddenly found themselves in the line of possible crossfire, should the conflict escalate, quickly scrambled away to the sides.

 

Spock was watching the standoff from his prone position on the floor. He was still lying close to the door through which Joanna had left the day before, but could see and hear what was going on in the centre of the hall. Watching the Cespians, he was certain that this would escalate. The only question was, who would shoot first?

 

***

 

McCoy was watching his daughter sleep in bed next to him. She looked peaceful, content. He thought back to the events of the day before. Taking her to sickbay, checking her over – she was in a good physical condition – and letting Dr Jones do her assessment. According to her, Joanna was a bit shaken but otherwise fine. She had advised McCoy to carefully ask her about the events on the base but not to push her – and to monitor her sleep. If she had nightmares and trouble sleeping, they should come back for another assessment. It seemed, McCoy thought, this would not be necessary. Joanna had slept through the night without any complaints. _Kids are resilient_ , McCoy thought, the relief he had been hoping for finally settling in.

 

But as the worry he had felt for Joanna finally dissipated, he became aware of a new worry: for Spock. Ever since he had taken the blue uniform shirt off his daughter, who had casually informed him that the green stains on it were “because a big man hit Spock on the head”, he had been feeling some unease and, yes, guilt, for not having thought too much about how Spock might be faring down there.

 

The guilt had increased when he had asked Joanna whether she had been given food on the base and she had told him that Spock had given her all of his food and water. The girl seemed to have grown quite attached to the Vulcan, saying she was looking forward to playing games with Spock again once he came back. McCoy sighed. He certainly hoped Spock _would_ come back, not just for Joanna’s sake, but because he too missed the Vulcan and hoped he was alright. Now that he was no longer distracted by the fear for his daughter’s life, McCoy realized that Jim felt the same fear for Spock's and chastised himself for not paying attention to his friend’s feelings. He was just about to get up and pay Jim a visit when his intercom beeped.

 

“ _All medical personnel, as well as search and rescue experts to the transporter room immediately. This not a drill. I repeat, All medical personnel, as well as search and rescue experts to the transporter room immediately_!”

 

Filled with foreboding, McCoy looked down at Joanna who had sleepily opened her eyes.

 

“Stay here, sweetheart. I’ll be back soon.”

 

And with that he pulled on his uniform and hurried to the transporter room.

 

***

 

It was Tengor who has fired the first shot at his fellow Cespians. However, Spock mused, the Federation forces outside the base’s main hall, who were monitoring it with scanners, could not know that the fire was being exchanged between two rival factions of the rebels. They must have assumed that the shots were being fired at the hostages. What they apparently did not know either, was that the Cespians had secured the hall’s doors with powerful explosives. When the military unit that had been standing by for days finally received the order to breach the hall, they tried to do so at several exists simultaneously, triggering a set of explosions.

 

Spock could feel their force as his body was lifted into the air, carried further into the hall by the shockwave and then crashed to the floor again, rubble and debris falling all around him, the heat of a thousand small fires robbing his lungs of oxygen and the sound of the explosions drowning out the screams around him. As terrible pain coursed through his body, Spock felt glad that at least the children, including Joanna, had been spared.

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

When the CMO of the Enterprise, once again on duty, was beamed down to the same place where he had been reunited with his daughter only 24 hours earlier, he almost did not recognise it. The door Joanna had walked through was gone, a gaping, smouldering hole in its place. Search and rescue were running back and forth, carrying injured hostages, rebels and Federation personnel to safety. There had been no safe area inside the hall when the explosions happened; every single person inside was injured, some more and some less severely. The structure had partially collapsed, making it difficult to locate and recover the still over 200 people inside.

 

McCoy felt sick to his stomach imagining that Joanna had almost been among them, and had to push aside the thought that Spock was still somewhere in there. McCoy could not think about that now, he had to start treating patients. Burn injuries, crush injuries, internal bleeding, broken bones. Most people who were carried outside were unconscious. Those who were stable enough for beaming were taken to either the Hera’s or the Enterprise’s sickbay, those who were not, to the Starbase’s medical facilities. McCoy worked for seven hours straight without a break before it was announced that there were no more life sign inside the hall and rescue was halted.

 

All the while, McCoy has kept a lookout for Spock, but the Vulcan had not passed through his triage station. McCoy flipped open his communicator.

 

“McCoy to Kirk.”

 

“Enterprise, Kirk here.” The captain sounded about as anxious and tired as McCoy felt.

 

“Jim… have you got him?”

 

There was a moment of silence at the other end. “No, Bones, nothing yet. I was just about to call the Hera. Will let you know if I hear anything, Kirk out.”

 

McCoy swallowed hard. If Jim was checking with the Hera, he would go to the base’s hospital.  

 

***

 

The base hospital’s intensive care ward was overflowing with patients. Around 80 beds had been crammed into a space that was designed for 20. McCoy walked from bed to bed, looking at the people in them without a doctor’s detachment for the first time today. These were people’s loved ones but at the moment, the electronic charts by most beds just displayed a patient number and the centuries old designation for a person yet to be identified: John Doe, Jane Doe, another John, another Jane.

 

McCoy came to the end of the first row of beds and froze. _Spock_.

 

Though the Vulcan’s face was bruised, swollen and bloodshot, it was unmistakably the Enterprise’s First Officer. McCoy stepped closer and gently touched his friend’s shoulder. His gaze fell upon Spock’s bandaged head, arm and leg, the latter two encased in proto-casts, meaning the doctors who had treated him must have had more pressing matters to deal with than broken limbs and were intending to return to fixing them later.

 

McCoy opened Spock’s chart and glanced at the record of the Vulcan’s suffering. _Patient admitted with mild hypothermia and severe dehydration, injuries sustained prior to explosion: comminuted fractures in the right radius and ulna, fracture to tibia and fibula, laceration at left temple, blood loss; Injuries sustained as result of explosion: fractures to ribs, second and third degree burns, internal bleeding, subdural haematoma with swelling to the brain, further blood loss, ruptured eardrums._

 

McCoy felt sick but continued reading. _Treatment administered: Blood transfusion (T-negative), emergency surgery to stop internal bleeding, patient went into cardiac arrest twice, resuscitation successful, treatment of burns with artificial skin graft, burr holes for subdural haematoma, proto-casts for fractures. Patient unconscious but stable._

 

McCoy could not understand why this was getting to him so much. He had seen worse but could hardly control himself as he skipped down to medications:

 

_2 ccs trianoline, 1.5 ccs lectrazine, 4ccs mexhohexital, 5 ccs Triptacederine, fluids._

 

 _Mexhohexital? Shit._ McCoy felt all the remaining colour drain from his face. He took out his communicator and spoke urgently.

 

“Jim. McCoy here. I found Spock. I need to get him up to the ship _now_. Have Scotty transport us directly to sickbay.”

 

***

 

McCoy staggered into his quarters. He had never felt more tired in his entire life. After the long day on the base, he had spent four more hours in the Enterprise’s sickbay with Spock. First, he had tried everything to counteract the effects of the mexhohexital, a sedative which was fine for humans which was not compatible with Vulcan physiology. Rather than sedation, it caused long-lasting and sometimes irreversible comatose states. McCoy sighed. The Starbase’s doctors had either not known, or they’d made a mistake in the chaos down there. He felt guilty for not having gone to look for Spock earlier, for not making sure he would receive the best possible treatment.

 

McCoy had also repaired Spock’s remaining injuries. The ones in his arm were especially bad. They looked as though the arm had been deliberately and methodically crushed. McCoy could hardly imagine how much pain Spock must have been in.

 

He quietly moved to his bed and lay down next to Joanna. In between treating patients at the base, he had called up to the ship and asked Yeoman Rand to make sure Joanna would get something to eat and would not be alone all day. Exhausted, McCoy closed his eyes when a small voice next to him asked: “Daddy, is Spock ok?”

 

McCoy turned to his daughter and saw that her eyes were wide open, her gaze searching. He rolled over to his side and turned on the lights.

 

“Hey, Jo-Jo. You’re awake.”

 

The girl nodded. “Janice told me you were with Spock…” she bit her lip. “Is he alright?”

 

“He’s alive,” McCoy said gently, “but he’s asleep now and I don’t know when he will wake up.”

 

Joanna seemed to contemplate this for a moment. “Can I see him?” she finally asked.

 

“Sure, honey. We can go visit Spock tomorrow, ok?”

 

Joanna shook her head. “No daddy, please… I want to go see him now. I don’t think I can sleep if I haven’t seen him.”

 

McCoy hesitated for a moment, wondering whether visiting Spock in sickbay would disturb Joanna more than it would calm her, but, he decided, the Vulcan actually looked pretty peaceful and it might actually be good for Joanna to see the person who had seen her through her time on the Starbase.

 

Joints aching, he got up. “Come on, then,” he encouraged her.

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

When McCoy woke up the next morning, Joanna was not in bed anymore. In fact, she was not in his quarters.

 

“Joanna?” he called, wondering if she was playing hide and seek. “Joanna!” he exited his quarters, walking down the corridor, looking into every room. He was starting to get scared. _We are on the Enterprise_ , he tried to calm himself. _What could possibly happen to her?_ But after the events of the past days it was difficult not to imagine her falling down a maintenance shaft or accidentally beamed out into space.

 

She was not in the rec room, not in the arboretum and not on the observation deck. _What other places did I take her?_ McCoy wondered. _Sickbay?_

 

As he entered his workplace, Nurse Chapel greeted him with a smile. “Your daughter is adorable, Leonard,” she said winking at him.

 

“You’ve seen her?” McCoy blinked at his head nurse.

 

“Of course! She’s still in there. You didn’t realize…? Sorry Leonard, I had no idea. When she came in last night she said you told her she was allowed to…”

 

But McCoy didn’t listen to the rest of the explanation. He stepped Spock’s room and curled up next to him lay Joanna, sound asleep. McCoy breathed a sigh of relief. He was debating with himself whether or not to wake the girl when the intercom interrupted him.

 

“Uhura to McCoy.”

 

He went to the wall panel. “McCoy here.”

 

“Doctor, I have a call from your ex-wife. Shall I patch it through to your office?”

 

 _Now she calls back_ , McCoy thought in exasperation. “Yes, please, Uhura. Put her through.”

 

***

 

When McCoy stepped back into Spock’s room after half an hour, Joanna was awake and singing softly. McCoy stopped at the door and listened.

 

“Rock-a-bye, baby,

In the tree top.

When the wind blows,

The cradle will rock.

When the bough breaks,

The cradle will fall,

And I will catch it,

Baby and all.”

 

“That’s an interesting version of Rock-a-bye,” he commented stepping into the room. Joanna turned around and beamed at him.

 

“Morning, daddy!”

 

“Who taught it to you?” McCoy asked. “Mummy?”

 

Joanna shook her head. “No, Spock did.”

 

McCoy couldn’t hide his surprise. “Spock…?”

 

“I couldn’t sleep the first night we were at he base because I was scared and so I asked him to sing me Rock-a-bye and he said this is how is mum sang it.”

 

McCoy bit his lip. Under normal circumstances, this was a piece of information he would have used to endlessly tease the Enterprise’s First Officer, but it was just beginning to dawn on him to what lengths Spock had gone to protect Joanna during the hostage drama and it broke his heart.

 

“Were you scared a lot when you were on the base?” he asked Joanna carefully, sitting down in a chair next to Spock’s bed while Joanna was still sitting cross-legged next to the Vulcan.

 

The girl shook her head. “I was in the beginning, but then Spock and I played games and talked a lot so I wasn’t scared. I only cried one time and then this man came and hit Spock but after Spock told me to close my eyes so I guess maybe something scary happened but I didn’t see.”

 

McCoy nodded slowly. “And that man… did he harm you?” he swallowed hard.

 

Joanna shook her head again. “No, he went away. Spock said they played a game and he won so the man had to go away. That was the time I had to close my eyes.”

 

McCoy shivered. “D’you know what game that was?” he asked, though he already had a pretty good idea.

 

“The man said he wanted to squeeze Spock’s arm but I don’t know how to play the game because my eyes were closed and I covered my ears,” Joanna explained patiently.

 

McCoy breathed out slowly, trying to quench the nausea rising in his stomach as he thought of the state Spock’s arm had been in. _Squeeze_ wasn’t quite the right word. More like _crush_.

 

Joanna had turned towards Spock now and was studying his still face.

 

“When’s he gonna wake up, daddy?” she asked.

 

McCoy bit his lip. “I don’t know, sweetie. It could… take a long time.” He didn’t have the heart to tell her that it was not certain whether Spock would wake up at all. The fact that he had not gone into a healing trance was not a good sign.

 

“I want to stay here,” Joanna announced. “Spock never left me alone when we were on the Starbase and I don’t want him to be alone now.”

 

McCoy smiled sadly. “That’s very sweet of you, darling, but I just talked to your mum. She wants to come pick you up tomorrow, she’s taking an earlier flight back.”

 

McCoy did not mention that Jocelyn wanted to come back early because she had been beside herself when she heard what had happened to Joanna and in spite of McCoy reassuring her that their daughter was fine, had cried for a good twenty minutes over the video link. McCoy could not really blame her.

 

“But daddy…. can’t mommy just stay here with us for a while? I really want…”

 

A crash in the room next door interrupted Joanna’s plea and McCoy jumped to his feet to find out what was going on. As he entered, he saw that one of the Cespians who had been brought to the Enterprise for treatment had woken up and freed himself from the restraints securing him to his bed. He was standing unsteadily and had upset a tray of hypos, hence the crash they had heard.

 

McCoy went to the intercom panel, speaking urgently: “Security team to sickbay!”

 

He then turned to the large Cespian and carefully approached him. The man, who had at first appeared disoriented, was now staggering towards the door.

 

“Where do you think you’re going?” McCoy asked gruffly. “You have to lie back down, you have some pretty severe injuries.”

 

“Out of my way,” the Cespian growled but he stopped short half way, his eyes fixed on the doorway from where Joanna was peeing into the room.

 

“You!” the Cespian snarled as he spotted her. “You were with that Vulcan. The one who persuaded Rellnor to let the children leave… he destroyed everything! Is he here?” His head whipped around. “If I get my hands on him, I will KILL him!”

 

While the Cespian was looking around, McCoy had swiftly snatched a hypo from the mess on the floor and jabbed it into the man’s arm. Roaring angrily, the Cespian turned around to lash out at his attacker but immediately collapsed n the floor. At that moment, four security guards came barging in, taking in the scene with their phasers raised.

 

“Take him to the brig,” McCoy angrily pointed at the man on the floor. “If he’s well enough to threaten one of my patients, he’s well enough to be kept down there.”

 

He turned around and spotted Joanna who was quietly crying by the doorway and went over to her, taking her into his arms.

 

“Daddy, that was the man who hurt Spock,” she told him. “I recognized his voice.”

 

“It’s ok, sweetheart,” McCoy told her. “He can’t hurt anyone now.”

 

It was only now that the Cespian’s words from earlier finally registered with the doctor. Apparently, Spock had been instrumental in the decision to release the children. McCoy was beginning to realise what a huge debt of gratitude he owed his friend.

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Complete! Last chapter!

In the week Jocelyn McCoy had spent aboard the Enterprise, she had not seen much of her daughter. Joanna was spending the better part of each day in sickbay, talking to the ship’s still unconscious First Officer. Jocelyn would have thought this was strange had Leonard not told her about Spock’s role in keeping their daughter safe during the hostage crisis, distracting her from its harsh realities, and finally getting her released, sparing her the horrific injuries that were keeping the Vulcan in a comatose state.

 

At least, the girl could be persuaded to spend nights either in McCoy’s quarters or in the guest quarters assigned to her mother. However, in the morning she was usually already in sickbay before the start of the Alpha shift, talking and singing to Spock, who remained unresponsive. It was both heart-breaking and heart-warming, Jocelyn thought, but she worried about how Joanna would cope with leaving her new-found friend. After all, they had to return home in two days’ time. School was starting again and Jocelyn had to go back to work. Jocelyn sighed, looking at the empty half of the bed next to her. How do you take a seven-year-old’s hope away?

 

***

 

When Leonard McCoy entered sickbay that morning, just at the beginning of the Alpha shift, the first thing he heard was a child laughing. Not just any child – _his_ child. He would know that laugh anywhere. He was not surprised that Joanna was already with Spock, but why was she laughing? Could this mean…? He carefully approached the First Officer’s room and felt a jolt when he saw Spock sitting up in bed. And not only that. Was he really playing rock, paper, scissors with Joanna?

 

“Ha! Scissors cuts paper!” Joanna was just saying triumphantly, holding her small hand out flat, while Spock’s larger left hand – McCoy immediately noticed he was not using his dominant right – was making a fist.

 

“Spock!” McCoy stepped into the room. “You’re awake!”

 

The Vulcan raised an eyebrow but replied good-naturedly: “Evidently, doctor.”

 

“Daddy, I’ve already won nine times at rocks, paper, scissors!” Joanna reported proudly. “When we played on the base, Spock won most of the time.”

 

McCoy smiled at his daughter and gave Spock a scrutinizing look. The Vulcan looked tired and weak. He’s not really up to playing, McCoy thought, he just wants Joanna to feel comfortable.

 

“Jo-Jo, why don’t you go have breakfast with your mum and come back after? I need to examine Spock for a bit, ok?”

 

“Ok!” Joanna slipped off Spock’s bed and smiled at the Vulcan. “See you later, Spock!” And with that she left the room, while Spock fell back into his pillows closing his eyes.

 

“You could have told her to leave, you know,” McCoy remarked as he began checking Spock’s vitals. “Sit up for me, please. Clearly, you need to rest and not play games with children. How long have you been awake for?”

 

Spock opened his eyes. “1.38 hours,” he replied, a half smile gracing his features. “Joanna was quite happy when she discovered that I was able to respond. I did not wish to disappoint her.”

 

Spock had sat up and was dangling his feet over the edge of the bed, preparing to stand.

 

“Whoa, what do you think you’re doing?” McCoy grabbed the Vulcan by his shoulder. “You’re not going anywhere until I say so. As McCoy steadied his weakened friend, the doctor suddenly felt a surge of emotion overcome him. He grabbed Spock more tightly and pulled him into an embrace.

 

“Thank you,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “Thank you so much, Spock, for keeping her safe, for all that you’ve done. I can never thank you enough.”

 

Spock momentarily grew rigid at the touch but soon relaxed and carefully pulled back so that he could see the doctor’s face. “You’re welcome, Leonard, he said earnestly. “It was my privilege.”

 

At that moment, Joanna burst back into the room, both Kirk and Jocelyn in tow.

 

“See?” she told Kirk proudly, “He’s awake!”

 

“Spock,” the captain whispered, clearly emotional, stepping closer to the bed and squeezing his First Officer’s shoulder. Jocelyn stepped closer too, tears in her eyes.

 

“Mr Spock, I just want to say thank you! Thank you for looking after Jo.”

 

Spock nodded at Jocelyn and gave Kirk a long look that clearly conveyed his happiness at seeing the captain, though his face seemed to remain perfectly impassive.

 

“You three!” McCoy barked at the visitors. “You’re supposed to be having breakfast,” he looked meaningfully at Joanna and Jocelyn – “and _you_ , Captain, should be on the bridge. I have a patient to examine and visiting hours are later!”

 

“Sorry, daddy,” Joanna said sheepishly, “I just wanted to tell mum and Jim the good news and then Jim wouldn’t believe me so we decided to come back.”

 

“Yes, Bones,” Kirk interjected. “I just waned to see for myself, but we’re leaving! Good to see you awake, Spock,” he added.

 

Spock inclined his head. “Thank you, Jim.”

 

***

 

“Promise you’ll write to me!” Joanna was once again sitting on Spock’s bed, her parents waiting by the door.

 

Spock inclined his head. “I promise.”

 

“And I can come visit during the next holidays?”

 

“You will have to ask your parents,” Spock replied, “however, with their permission I will be more than happy to spend time with you.”

 

McCoy nudged Jocelyn with his elbow. “Can you believe it?" he asked mirthfully. “She never wanted to come visit _me_ here.”

 

Jocelyn smiled. “She said it’s because Spock is better at playing games.” McCoy gave her an incredulous look. “Her words, not mine. And don’t worry, it’s not just you. He’s also better at them than I am.”

 

Joanna turned towards her mother. “Mum, our glider departs in 15.82 minutes. We have to _go_!”

 

She turned back to Spock and extended her hand in the Vulcan salute. “See you soon, Spock!”

 

“Indeed,” the Vulcan replied, also extending his hand. “Live long and prosper, Joanna.”

 

 

 


End file.
